Yasha Dabas is a self-taught Indian artist in literary, culinary and visual arts.

Yasha holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering. However, explorative as she is, she pursued an alternate profession in Banking & Financial Services. She is currently a Senior Financial Services Engineer in a reputed multinational bank.

She practices various ethnic Indian painting styles like Kerala Murals, Maithili Art and various forms of Rangoli. She has a keen interest in blending different painting styles resulting in hybrid art forms. In addition to playing with colours on canvas, Yasha blogs about travel, food and common life experiences. She also dabbles in writing stories and poetry. She has been writing poems since she was 13. Her style involves heavy usage of colours to depict human emotions and nature.

Yasha lives in Singapore with her husband Peeyush & 5 year old son Ryan.

About RANGOLI

What is RANGOLI?
An art form in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards and by house entrances using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals.

Where is this art form from? India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Some of the other names for this art form: RANGOLI (in Karnataka), KOLAM (in Tamil Nadu), MANDANA (in Rajasthan)

What do Rangoli designs depict? traditions, folklore and practices that are unique to each area

Design variations: simple geometric shapes, deity impressions, or flower/petal shapes (appropriate for the given celebrations) Who makes this art? It’s traditionally made by women

What is the purpose of making RANGOLI?
decoration, bring good luck.

When is a RANGOLI made?
Special occasions: festivals, auspicious observances, marriage celebrations, milestones and gatherings.

When is it most commonly created?

*Diwali (Hindu Festival of Lights, aka – Dipawali/Deepavali) – India’s most important holiday
*The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness.

Yasha talks about the world of rangolis to workshop participants

Yasha does a rangoli demo using flour to make an outline

Gail and Hanz Florentino and Charity check out the wealth of rangoli materials

Aggie, Teacher Grace of St. Michael’s Play Garden and Retired UP Professor Thelma Mendoza

Yoga teachers Jeanne Torrefranca and Gigit Sulit – what great team work!